Causes of death statistics in Australia are recorded as both underlying cause i.e. the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death; and multiple cause i.e. all causes and conditions reported on the death certificate that contributed to, were associated with, or was the underlying cause of the death (see Glossary for further details).

Only underlying cause of death is presented for 2010 doctor certified deaths in this publication. Information on multiple cause of death for all deaths will be included in Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 (cat. no. 3303.0).

All deaths registered in 2010 have been coded using the tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) as released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

As shown in Table 2, in 2010 the top 3 causes of doctor certified deaths at the chapter level were:

Respiratory diseases which contributed 8.9% of all doctor certified deaths.

The leading causes of death for all deaths (both doctor and coroner certified) will be presented in March 2012 in Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 (cat. no. 3303.0).

2 Doctor certified deaths by cause of death - 2009 and 2010(a)

2009

2010

Dr cert

Proportion of total Dr cert

Dr cert

Proportion of total Dr cert

Cause of death and ICD-10 code

no.

%

no.

%

Infectious diseases (A00-B99)

1 678

1.4

2 009

1.6

Cancer (C00-D48)

41 142

33.7

42 719

33.9

Blood and immunity disorders (D50-D89)

397

0.3

392

0.3

Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)

5 506

4.5

5 422

4.3

Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)

6 235

5.1

6 729

5.3

Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)

5 569

4.6

5 858

4.6

Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59)

5

-

4

-

Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95)

1

-

1

-

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (I00-I99)

39 395

32.3

39 332

31.2

Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)

10 275

8.4

11 276

8.9

Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93)

4 313

3.5

4 525

3.6

Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99)

367

0.3

390

0.3

Diseases of the muscles, bones and tendons (M00-M99)

967

0.8

1 129

0.9

Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N99)

3 294

2.7

3 283

2.6

Pregnancy and childbirth (O00-O99)

3

-

1

-

Conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)

612

0.5

555

0.4

Congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)

523

0.4

508

0.4

Ill-defined causes (R00-R99)

339

0.3

361

0.3

External causes (V01-Y98)

1 486

1.2

1 598

1.3

Total doctor certified deaths

122 106

100.0

126 094

100.0

Total coroner certified deaths

18 654

17 379

Total deaths

140 760

143 473

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

(a) Data cells with small numbers have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.

The following section presents information about changes in doctor certified deaths from 2009 to 2010. Care should be taken in interpreting these results as they exclude any deaths which have been referred to a coroner for investigation, and may be affected by volatility when there are a small number of deaths recorded for specific causes.

3 Doctor certified deaths by cause of death - 2009 and 2010(a)

2009

2010

change

Cause of death and ICD-10 code

no.

no.

%

Infectious diseases (A00-B99)

1678

2009

19.7

Cancer (C00-D48)

41142

42719

3.8

Blood and immunity disorders (D50-D89)

397

392

-1.3

Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)

5506

5422

-1.5

Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)

6235

6729

7.9

Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)

5569

5858

5.2

Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59)

5

4

np

Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95)

1

1

np

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (I00-I99)

39395

39332

-0.2

Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)

10275

11276

9.7

Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93)

4313

4525

4.9

Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99)

367

390

6.3

Diseases of the muscles, bones and tendons (M00-M99)

967

1129

16.8

Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N99)

3294

3283

-0.3

Pregnancy and childbirth (O00-O99)

3

1

np

Conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)

612

555

-9.3

Congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)

523

508

-2.9

Ill-defined causes (R00-R99)

339

361

6.5

External causes (V01-Y98)

1486

1598

7.5

Total doctor certified deaths

122 106

126 094

3.3

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated

(a) Data cells with small numbers have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.

CANCER (C00-D48)

Cancers were the underlying cause of 42,719 doctor certified deaths in 2010, an increase of 1,577 doctor certified deaths from 2009.

The following diseases accounted for half (51.3% or 21,901) of all doctor certified cancer deaths:

Trachea and lung cancer (C33-C34) , increased by 4.5% from 7,646 in 2009 to 7,989 in 2010

Colon and rectum cancer (C18-C21), showed no notable increase from 3,971 in 2009 to 3,988 in 2010

Blood and lymph cancer (including leukaemia) (C81-C96), increased by 3.9% from 3,735 in 2009 to 3,881 in 2010

Prostate cancer (C61), increased by 4.4% from 3,078 in 2009 to 3,213 in 2010

Breast cancer (C50), increased by 2.0% from 2,774 in 2009 to 2,830 in 2010.

Of these deaths due to cancer certified by a doctor, 24,208 deaths were male and 18,511 were female. Median age at death for all doctor certified deaths attributed to cancer was 75.4 years, a slight increase from 75.2 years in 2009.

ENDOCRINE, NUTRITIONAL AND METABOLIC DISEASES (E00-E90)

In 2010, Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases were the underlying cause of 5,422 deaths, a decrease of 84 (or 1.5%) from the 5,506 doctor certified deaths in 2009.

Doctor certified deaths due to Diabetes (E10-E14) decreased 4.2% from 3,968 in 2009 to 3,803 in 2010. Specifically, Non-insulin diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes (E11) decreased from 1,737 in 2009 to 1,640 in 2010. Unspecified diabetes (E14) decreased from 1,896 in 2009 to 1,841 in 2010.

Of those deaths due to Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases certified by a doctor, 2,636 deaths were male and 2,786 were female. Median age at death for all doctor certified deaths attributed to Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases was 82.2 years, a slight increase from 81.6 years in 2009.

MENTAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS (F00-F99)

Mental and behavioural disorders were the underlying cause of 6,729 doctor certified deaths in 2010, a 7.9% increase from the 6,235 doctor certified deaths in 2009. The majority of total deaths due to Mental and behavioural disorders are usually certified by a doctor.

Dementia (F01, F03) accounted for the majority of the increase in doctor certified deaths due to Mental and behavioural disorders in 2010, increasing from 5,729 doctor certified deaths in 2009 to 6,194 in 2010. This increase is consistent with the annual increases since 2006 and may be attributable in part to the aging population in Australia.

Of those deaths due to Mental and behavioural disorders certified by a doctor, 2,334 deaths were male and 4,395 were female. The median age at death for all doctor certified deaths attributed to Mental and behavioural disorders was 87.8 years, comparable to 2009 (87.7 years).

DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM (G00-G99)

Diseases of the nervous system were the underlying cause of 5,858 doctor certified deaths in 2010, a 5.2% increase from the 5,569 doctor certified deaths in 2009.

The increase in doctor certified deaths due to Diseases of the nervous system was driven largely by increases in Parkinson's disease (G20), up from 1,179 in 2009 to 1,212 in 2010, and Alzheimer's disease (G30), up from 2,396 in 2009 to 2,672 in 2010.

Of those deaths due to Diseases of the nervous system certified by a doctor, 2,581 deaths were male and 3,277 were female. The median age at death for all doctor certified deaths attributed to Diseases of the nervous system was 83.4 years, higher than the 2009 median age of 82.8 years.

DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM (I00-I99)

Diseases of the circulatory system were the underlying cause of 39,332 deaths certified by a doctor in 2010, a 0.2% decrease from the 39,395 doctor certified deaths in 2009. The total number of deaths each year assigned to Diseases of the circulatory system generally includes a relatively high proportion of coroner certified deaths.

Acute myocardial infarction (I21) accounted for the majority of the decrease in doctor certified deaths due to Diseases of the circulatory system in 2010, decreasing by 220 from 9,307 in 2009 to 9,087 in 2010.

Of those deaths due to Diseases of the circulatory system certified by a doctor, 17,414 deaths were male and 21,918 were female. The median age at death for all doctor certified deaths attributed to Diseases of the circulatory system was 86.2 years, a slight increase from 86.0 years in 2009.

DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM (J00-J99)

Diseases of the respiratory system were the underlying cause of 11,276 doctor certified deaths in 2010, a 9.7% increase from the 10,275 doctor certified deaths in 2009.

Of those deaths due to Diseases of the respiratory system certified by a doctor, 5,833 deaths were male and 5,443 deaths were female. The median age at death for all doctor certified deaths attributed to Diseases of the respiratory system was 83.5 years, an increase from 83.0 years in 2009.

An increase in deaths due to Pneumonia, organism unspecified (J18) accounted for over half of the increase observed for doctor certified deaths due to Diseases of the respiratory system. Doctor certified deaths due to this cause increased by 690 in 2010, from 1,395 deaths in 2009 to 2,085 deaths in 2010. See Explanatory Note 40 for further information.

4 Selected underlying cause of death, Sex and median age - 2010

Males

Females

Persons

Median Age at death

Cause of death and ICD-10 code

no.

%

no.

%

no.

years

Infectious diseases (A00-B99)

1040

51.8

969

48.2

2009

81.4

Cancer (C00-D48)

24208

56.7

18511

43.3

42719

75.4

Blood and immunity disorders (D50-D89)

192

49

200

51

392

82.3

Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)

2636

48.6

2786

51.4

5422

82.2

Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)

2334

34.7

4395

65.3

6729

87.8

Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)

2581

44.1

3277

55.9

5858

83.4

Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59)

4

np

3

np

4

np

Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95)

2

np

4

np

1

np

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (I00-I99)

17414

44.3

21918

55.7

39332

86.2

Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)

5833

51.7

5443

48.3

11276

83.5

Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93)

2186

48.3

2339

51.7

4525

81.9

Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99)

142

36.4

248

63.6

390

86.4

Diseases of the muscles, bones and tendons (M00-M99)

362

32.1

767

67.9

1129

84.3

Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N99)

1488

45.3

1795

54.7

3283

86.2

Pregnancy and childbirth (O00-O99)

0

0

4

np

1

np

Conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)

336

60.5

219

39.5

555

0.5

Congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)

256

50.4

252

49.6

508

0.9

Ill-defined causes (R00-R99)

112

31

249

69

361

89.4

External causes (V01-Y98)

707

44.2

891

55.8

1598

86.8

Total Doctor certified deaths

61832

49

64262

51

126094

82.5

Total Coroner certified deaths

11652

67

5727

33

17379

59.1

Total

73484

51.2

69989

48.8

143473

81.2

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated